FC2062
The lavender it grows high
Music: Frances Cockburn, Words: Frances Cockburn
Voicing: SSA
Performance time approx: 2m 45s
Range S1: c' &mdash f'' / S2: a – d'' / A: g – d''
Price code: C
Complexity:
A finely crafted love song in the folk tradition about choosing ‘the man who writes me verses’ – and the pleasures of poetry and song – over the man who offers ‘fine silk purses’ and a life of material comfort. Arranged homophonically throughout, the melody moves among different voices as the song progresses.
The recording is by Frances Cockburn’s group Simmerdim.
As I walked out on a fine spring day,
And oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
I saw two riders far away,
And the lavender it grows high.
Two young men and they came to court me,
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
The first one said he would support me,
The lavender it grows high.
He told me he had gold and treasure,
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
To buy fine dresses for my pleasure,
The lavender it grows high.
The second one said he loved me more.
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
But he had no money or gold in store,
And the lavender it grows high.
Instead he brought me poem and song,
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
I knew that to him my heart would belong,
And the lavender it grows high.
Silks and satins are fine and pretty,
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
But words can be both warm and witty,
The lavender it grows high.
So I chose the man who writes me verses,
Oh, the lavender sweetly blooming,
More to my taste than fine silk purses,
The lavender it grows high.
Words © Frances Cockburn and used with permission.